


Happy to be home

by sugarandspace



Series: 3B fics [22]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Bubble Bath, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Post-Episode: s03e20 City of Glass, Returning Home, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-27 04:49:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18731929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarandspace/pseuds/sugarandspace
Summary: The first night back in the loft after Edom. Soft words, shared bath, and comfort taken from closeness.





	Happy to be home

**Author's Note:**

> My goal was to write a fluffy fic but somehow this ended up having sad undertones. But hey, they are together!!

When they walk through the doors to the loft, it feels like a forever has passed since they’ve last done so together - even longer since they’ve both been this happy while doing so.

They are exhausted, their muscles aching from all the fighting they had to endure to be able to leave Edom. Magnus has barely any magic left, and they are both ready to go to bed and sleep for a week.

But above all that they are happy. The feeling of being together without a catastrophe weighing on the horizon and without hiding a secret is so relieving that both of them find it hard to believe. 

“I’m happy to be home,” Magnus says, stopping just barely inside the loft and making Alec halt in his steps as well since they’ve been holding hands since leaving the Institute, since leaving the Edom, actually. 

“I’m happy too,” Alec says, leaning down to place a soft kiss to Magnus’ lips. He lets go of Magnus’ hand and steps further into the apartment. “And it’s just you and me, no other warlocks disguised as pets this time.”

Magnus grimaces as he realises what Alec is talking about, and follows his boyfriend to the kitchen.

“I feel bad about that,” Magnus admits. He watches as Alec pulls a pot of food from the fridge and sets it on the counter. “I wish I could blame it all on my father, but I could have done more to stop him.”

“It’s in the past now,” Alec reassures. “You saw that Lorenzo doesn’t hold a grudge over it. Even I’m forgiving you for making me unknowingly share the loft with him for a week.”

“I hope you didn’t do anything embarrassing while you thought you were alone,” Magnus teases. “While you know that I love your adorable habit of dancing while cooking, I have a feeling you wouldn’t appreciate Lorenzo witnessing that.”

“No worries,” Alec says, a smile on his face - although the smile is weak. “I haven’t really felt like dancing in the past week. Or cooking, for that matter. My mom dropped this the other day, I hope you like pasta.”

Magnus’ own smile falls and he watches Alec plate the food, his frown deepening when he realises that the pot is still full. He moves so that he’s standing next to Alec, his arm wrapping around his side and his head falling to his shoulder. “Pasta sounds good.”

Alec leans his own head down, placing it on top of Magnus’ as he reciprocates the sideways hug. They stay like that for a moment, letting the contact sink in and remind them that they have each other again. 

“You need to let me go if you want me to heat up this food,” Alec says quietly, but he makes no move to actually let go of Magnus.

Magnus hums and snaps his fingers, and suddenly the food is warm, steam rising from both plates. Magnus sways a little from the use of magic, but Alec is there to steady him.

“C’mon, let’s go eat,” he says, not commenting on how Magnus shouldn’t be using his powers. He knows that Magnus knows.

They do let go of each other when they take the plates and walk to the table, sitting to their usual chairs after Magnus pours them both a glass of wine.

Their hands find each others’ on top of the table and they eat in comfortable silence. They know that they have things to talk about - the break up, the proposal, what Magnus went through in Edom and what Alec has been doing in New York - but they both know that they are too exhausted for those conversations now. For now they enjoy each other’s company and the much needed moment of peace.

“Do you want to have a bath?” Alec asks as they’ve finished eating.

“Bath sounds lovely,” Magnus agrees, hating how the smoky smell of Edom is still sticking to his clothes and hair.

They take their empty plates and glasses to the kitchen, agreeing to deal with them later. Once in the bathroom, Magnus starts by washing off his makeup while Alec opens the faucet and lets the tub fill with hot water. 

It is an unspoken agreement that it’s going to be a shared bath, neither of them wanting to separate from the other now that they finally have each other again. They undress and get into the tub, the task easier than it really should be since Magnus has used magic to make the tub big enough to fit the both of them comfortably.

There, surrounded by warm water and leaning against Alec’s chest, Magnus is pretty sure he could fall asleep. He doesn’t remember when was the last time he’s felt this relaxed and calm, and the realisation makes him feel a bang in his chest. 

Losing his magic, getting sick from Lorenzo’s magic and having to lose it too, losing his home, Alexander, being manipulated by his father and being practically forced to go to Edom with no guarantee that he would be able to make it back from there - it has all been a lot, and it has all happened in the span of few weeks. Magnus has had rough patches during his long life, but he’s fairly sure that this has been one of the worsts yet.

His hands tighten where they are holding Alec’s over his stomach, and he hears Alec’s voice near his ear.

“What are you thinking about?” He asks, his words quiet.

“Just about how happy I am that we’re here,” he says, and if his words come out a bit rough Alec doesn’t mention it. He just holds Magnus closer and places a lingering kiss to his temple.

Magnus responds by lifting their left hands above the surface and placing a kiss to the ring on Alec’s finger.

“We are going to get married,” Alec says from behind him, his tone somewhat distant, like he can’t believe it. 

“We are,” Magnus agrees. Even though he’d asked the question in a life threatening situation and after emotionally difficult times, he’s still as sure with his decision as he was in Alicante. He knows in his head and his heart that he wants to marry Alexander, that while their relationship hasn’t been long, it’s been filled with trials that have proved to him that he and Alec are meant to be. 

They’ve went through all that and Magnus’ feelings towards the Shadowhunter have only gotten stronger, and he’s certain that they will be able to get through whatever the life will throw their way next. He wants to take that on together.

They soak in the bath until the water turns cold, after which they shower away the rest of the grime on their bodies. Magnus feels ten pounds lighter now that the smell of Edom is finally off his body and he’s clean and warm, wrapped in a soft towel. 

They get dressed for bed and slip under the covers, immediately finding each other. Magnus lies on his back and Alec buries his head to his shoulder, his arm over Magnus’ body with his palm flat on his chest, their legs tangling together under the sheets as Magnus pulls him closer. 

Magnus thinks that it might not be a coincidence that Alec rests his palm on top of his heart.

“I love you,” Magnus says into the darkness.

“And I love you,” Alec replies, his words accompanied by a light kiss to Magnus’ shoulder.

They share some whispered words until their eyelids start to droop, sleep trying to pull them under. They both welcome it, able to finally rest easily now that they have each other again.

**Author's Note:**

> [Come join me on tumblr where I'm going to be freaking out during the episode tonight!](https://sugarandspace.tumblr.com/)


End file.
